Tidal surge victims need food, water

Tidal surge victims need food, water

High tide affected by the full moon presently floods 13 villages of Lalua union in Kalapara upazila under Patuakhali district every day. PHOTO: STAR

Eid-ul-Fitr failed to bring any cheer to the people of around 100 villages in eight upazilas of the district as tidal surge under the impact of new moon again hit the villages on Eid Day and the day before.

While visiting Lalua Union under Kalapara upazila on Eid Day, this correspondent saw water from Ramnabad River streaming into different villages in the union through the breached portions of the flood control dyke at Charipara, Poshurbunia and Gajirkhal points.

Roads and houses of at least 14 villages in the area have been inundated and most of the affected families have taken shelter on wood and bamboo platforms at their respective houses. A few families of the flood-hit villages have taken shelter on the flood control embankment.

Nur Alam of Charipara village said they are facing acute crisis of drinking water as all tube-wells have gone under water. “We get stomach problem as we have to drink saline water, he added.

Some villagers alleged that they didn't get help from the government and non-governmental organisations on Eid Day. Contacted, Kalapara Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Jahangir Hossain said, two tonnes of rice have been distributed among the affected people of Lalua on Eid Day.

Mir Tariquzzaman Tara, chairman of Lalua Union Parishad (UP), Eid eluded as many as 12,650 people of 2, 376 flood-hit families in his union as they could not afford to buy new clothes and others goods to celebrate the day.

In the third week of this month, the villages in the district got flooded following collapse of dykes in different area due to tidal surge. Several thousands dwelling houses went under water and croplands were flooded by saline water.

According to Kalapara Water Development Board office sources, at least one kilometre of a dyke collapsed in the upazila, flooding at least 10 villages

Our correspondent from Bhola adds: Eid also eluded the people of 40 villages under Charfashion, Monpura and Daulatkhan upazilas of the district as tidal surge hit the villages again on Monday.

According to Water Development Board, tidal water entered the villages through the breached portions of the flood control dykes in the upazilas.

The dykes collapsed at different points due to tidal surge only 15 days ago, sources added.

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